Paul Domowitch

STAFF WRITER

Paul Domowitch is a pro football writer for the Inquirer and Daily News, where he has worked since 1982. He has covered nearly 30 Super Bowls and has been a selector for the Pro Football Hall of Fame for the last 15 years.

With the Eagles having closed up shop at the NovaCare Complex for the spring, here is an early look at the five training camp battles I’m going to be most interested in following. Training camp opens July 22 at Lehigh.

1. Mike Kafka vs. Trent Edwards vs. rookie Nick Foles for the backup quarterback job. If Mike Vick stays healthy and plays well, the name of the Eagles’ No. 2 QB will be irrelevant. If he doesn’t, it could be the biggest topic of the season.

2. Joselio Hanson vs. rookie Brandon Boykin for the nickel cornerback job. Hanson has been one of the league’s better slot corners. But he’s 31 and will be seriously challenged by the rookie up at Lehigh.

4. Riley Cooper vs. Marvin McNutt for the No. 4 wide receiver job. Cooper, who had 16 receptions last year, is the Eagles’ best blocking wideout, which counts for a lot with Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg. But McNutt was impressive in spring camps, catching everything thrown in his direction.

5. Bryce Brown vs. Chris Polk for the No. 3 running back job. Getting Brown in the seventh round and Polk as an undrafted free agent were two real nice pickups. I’m assuming that Dion Lewis will open the season as LeSean McCoy’s primary backup. But if one or both of these kids have a strong camp and preseason, who knows?